Resistor connecter device



June 23, 1936. 4 J. M. BowMAN 2,045,362

HESISTOR CONNECTER DEVICE Filed Jan. 15, 19:52

Patented June 23, 1936 UNITED STATES assrs'roa CONNECTER DEVICE John M. Bowman, Philadelphia, Pa., assignor to Philadelphia Storage Battery Company, Philadelphia, Pa., a corporation oi' Pennsylvania Application January 13, 1932, Serial No. 586,396

3 Claims.

This invention relates to electrical connecter devices and has particular reference to devices for electrically and mechanically connecting a conductor to an electrical element. While its 5 application is general, the invention is specific to suppressor resistor elementsrutilized in connectionl with motor vehicles equipped with radio re-l 2o Without limiting its applicability, the inven' tion is illustrated herein as applied to the specific device for which it is intended, as indicated above. For the purpose of the present description, it suffices to state that suppressor resistor elements 25 are interposed in the spark plug Klead or supply conductor of a motor vehicle equipped with a radio receiver, the purpose of the resistor being to prevent disturbances originating in the ignition system of the vehicle from interfering with 30 the normal operation of the radio receiver. Fig. 1 illustrates this arrangement clearly, wherein I designates the usual cylinder head of a motor vehicle. 2 designates a spark plug thereof. l and l are sections of the spark plug conductor, 35 and 5 is the suppressor resistor element with the novel device of the invention applied thereto.

Referring to Fig. 2, wherein the invention is illustrated in detail and the elements of Fig. 1 have been given like reference characters, the 40 suppressor resistor is shown at 8 and takes *the usual cylindrical form of such elements In accordance with the invention, the simple and efii- 4 cient mechanical and electrical connection of conductor sections 3 and 4 is made to the ends or 4g terminals of element 8. To this end, a pointed screw I having sharp threads is attached to each end of the resistor element. Preferably, the

screw resembles an ordinary wood screw, and a cup-shaped retainer 8, which is preferably of 50 brass, serves to retain the screw by engaging the flanged head Il thereof. The shank of the screw extends through the apertured opening I in the bottom-of retainer 8. The retainer is of such dimension that the end of the resistor element 55 ilts nicely therein. Preferably, a layer of steel (Ci. 20L-83) wool Il is interposed between the head of the screw and the resistor element. A binding of cement I2 or like substance serves to attach retainer lto the resistor element securely. It will be understood that both ends of the device are 5 formed as described.

As illustrated clearly in Fig. 2, the usual insulated stranded conductor used for spark -plug conductors and other purposes may be readily connected to the device by merely screwing the threaded shank of screw 1 into the end of the stranded conductor longitudinally thereof. The individual strands of the conductor interlock rmly with the screw threads' to provide a very efficient mechanical and electrical connection. l5

If desired a protective sleeve I3 of any suitable insulating material, such as porcelain, may be applied to the device so as to closely encircle vthe resistor and to completely cover the connecting joints. No claim is made to this protective sleeve in this application excepting in combination with the particular connecter, since the sleeve per se forms the subject matter of a co-pending application of Anthon A. Leonard, Serial No. 586,389, filed Jan. 13, 1932. If the sleeve is used, it may be so applied as to be firmly held in place by the cement I2 and used to hold the elements of the device together. It is further to be noted that screw l expands the conductor and its insulation, thus jamming or wedging the insulated conductor in the'sleeve. This enhances the eiliciency of the devicef-rom the standpoint of electrical connection and mechanical security.

Obviously, various changes and modifications in the specific construction of the device may be made withoutdeparting from the spirit and scope of the invention. Only such limitations as are contained in the' appended claims. therefore, are to limit the invention.

I claim: 40

1. A resistance device comprising a. tube or sleeve of insulating material, an electrical resistance element within said tube, a screw within an end of said tube extending axially from an end of said resistance element, said screw having a flanged head adjacent the said end of said element, a retainer member securely engaging said screw head, and means securing said retainer member within said tube to hold the said screw within the tube end in electrical association with the end of said resistance element, said screw being adapted to be forced into the core of an insulated conductor inserted in Vthe end of said tube to simultaneously electrically connect said re. sistance element with the conductor core and expand the end portion of the conductor insulation against the inner wall of the tube.

2. A resistance device comprising a housing of insulating material having a bore, an electrical resistance element within said bore, a screw within each end of said housing extending axially from an end of said resistance element, each said screw having a anged head adjacent the associated end of said resistance element, a cupshaped retainer member tted over each end of the resistance element and having an annular flange securably engaging the associated screw head, and means securing the retainer members within said housing to hold said resistance element therein and to hold the screws Within the housing ends in attachment with the ends of the resistance element, each said screw being adapted to be forced into the core of an insulated conductor to simultaneously electrically connect said resistance element with the conductorgcore and wedge the end portion of the conductor insulation into intimate contact with the cylindrical wall of the housing.

3. 'I'he combination with a suppressor resistor element for connection in the ignition circuit o! a motor vehicle equipped with a radio receiver, of means for electrically and mechanically connecting an insulated conductor to said resistor element, comprising. a. pointed screw extending axially from an end of said resistor element and having a anged head adjacent the said end, a retainer member tted over the said end of said resistor element and having an annular flange/securably engaging said screw head, an annular element surrounding the said end of said resistor element and extending along the shank of the screw. and means securing said retainer member and said annular element to the resistor element, whereby-there is provided adjacent the said end of the resistor element, a well in which the screw shank is seated and into which the said conductor may be inserted, with the screwJ shank engaging the conductor core and expanding the end portion of the conductor insulation against the inner wall oi.' said well.

JOHN M. BOWMAN; 

